USA Today op-ed: Poor physician access worsens emergency department crowding

My latest USA Today op-ed was published this morning: Ease ER overload

I take a look at emergency department crowding from a primary care perspective, and explain why the lack of physician access drives more people to use emergency services, which subsequently increases health care costs.

Despite having the highest density of primary care doctors nationwide, Massachusetts is experiencing this phenomenon first-hand. It is seriously undermining their success in covering the uninsured.

Those looking to enact a similar system on a federal level should be wary of this root cause of emergency department congestion, which will only worsen in the coming years as Baby Boomers age.

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